The Student
by cbssoapsgirl
Summary: Fitz is the Civics teacher, Cyrus the principal, and Olivia the most busiest woman in the high school.
1. Meeting

"Good morning class, I'm Mr. Grant and will be your personal Civics torture teacher for the next 12 weeks. Don't put up a fuss. Everyone must take this class," Fitz announced to his high school Civics class. "Get out your books and we'll start the party after I take attendance. Abby?"

"Here."

"Harrison?"

"Here."

"Leslie?"

"Here."

"Olivia?" Silence. "Olivia? Is Olivia here?"

"No, Sir. She isn't," Abby said.

"Alright." Fitz continued the attendance list until the end. "Alright. Your homework for tonight is to read the first three chapters. We will discuss them tomorrow and you may have a pop quiz about it. I'm not for sure yet. Start now and when the bell rings, class is dismissed."

Olivia wasn't intentionally skipping her Civics class; she spent her time with Mr. Beene, the school principal.

"Liv, I don't care what you say, the man is guilty! He stabbed her to death and left the knife behind, he did it," Cyrus argued against a current trial in the city.

"There's no evidence. The knife had his finger prints on it because he lived with her. The other guy had the blood on his hands, literally. She was seeing him on the side. He got pissed because she wouldn't leave her husband and he killed her. There's no way the husband did it," Olivia protested. "The husband had no blood on him at all. How do you explain that if he killed her?"

"Obviously, the man changed."

"Alright, Cy. There's not a chance of that, he was on camera the entire time and he has an alibi for the time of the murder. I win. Case dismissed without prejudice."

"Alright Ms. Pope, smart ass. You're really late for your Civics class. Get going. I'll see you in debate tonight."

"You're just mad because I won," Olivia said as she picked up her bag and threw away her trash from lunch. "I'll see you tonight and I'll kick your ass then too."

Cyrus laughed and handed her a note to excuse her tardiness.

"Don't forget to ready the first three chapters, class." Olivia walked into Fitz's classroom and gave him the note from Cyrus.

"Sorry I'm late, what's the homework?" Olivia asked.

"Depends on which class you are in."

"The Civics."

"Read the first three chapters of the book and there may be a pop quiz tomorrow."

"Done."

Fitz stared at Olivia wondering who she was. "You mean you are going to ready it done. Not finished done."

"No, I mean I've already read it done."

"And you could pass the test tomorrow?"

"I could pass it now."

"You don't even have the book yet."

Olivia smirked. "Actually, I do. I've already read every chapter, done the notes, and the tests. Essays are done too. Simple as clapping. I'll see you in class, Mr. Grant."

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"That would be for me to know and you to find out," she laughed as she walked out.

Olivia finished her classes and went to the pool for her daily swim. When she finished her swim, she went and did the math quiz in the library, then headed to debate.

She walked into the auditorium where all the debates were held and snuck up behind Fitz and Cyrus, eavesdropping on their conversation.

"She just came in and handed me a note. She has a shitty attitude already and it's only the first day. It's going to be a rough term with her, I can tell already," Fitz told him.

"But it might just be first day jitters or something like that. Maybe a fight with the boyfriend? I'm sure that she's a nice girl," Cyrus responded.

"Let's not forget sweet, caring, talented, brilliant, amazing…" she interjected.

"Annoyingly brilliant, top of the politics, lovely, mouthy, snotty attitude giving, perfectionist, hard worker," Cyrus added when he heard her voice.

"Kick ass debater, always right, gut trusting, lie detector telling,"

"Smart ass, pain in the ass, negotiating, smart ass, pistol…"

"But above all, brilliant."

Fitz turned and watched the two of them go on still not know who Olivia was.

"I'd say above all a pain in the ass but that would depend on who you speak to," Cyrus said as she came in front of him. "This Mr. Grant, is the amazing Olivia Pope."

"We've met, Cy," Olivia told him.

"But you never did tell me your name."

"My name is a nonfactor."

Cyrus gave her a simple look and she nodded. "I wasn't sure you were going to come tonight. You are late, by ten minutes."

"No one is here, how can I be late?"

"The smart ass side of you made everyone quit the debate team. I've warned you Liv, that was going to happen. You made the last three cry. One of them was a teacher!"

"Obviously not a good one if she can't take the cold truth. You know I don't tolerate lying Cy."

Fitz stepped into the conversation with them. "I'm a bit confused; will one of you tell me what is going on here?"

Cyrus told Olivia to get ready while they spoke. "You've heard of Olivia Pope around the school right?" Fitz nodded and let him go on. "That is her. She's very talented and a very busy girl for a junior. I've known her for 4 years and I swear I don't think she ever sleeps. She has a part time job as a waitress at the diner down the road, goes here full time, has 4 college classes, and is President of the debate team, Captain on the swim team, chess club, and government."

"Not the chess club, I had to drop it," Olivia yelled back at him. "I made the advisor cry."

"He was weak anyway. She's very brilliant. And tonight, you are taking her on in a debate."

"ME? Why ME?"

"Because you haven't seen what she can do. Be prepared to pick yourself off the ground."

"Fine, let the battle begin."


	2. Robbed

"That's shit! She's a fucking bitch!" Fitz yelled when the debate was done and Liv went back stage to get her bag.

"You're just mad you lost. She's great. And don't let her hear you say she's a bitch, she will show you how much of a bitch she can be. I've been on the bitchy end of that. That's not a bitch. Now go congratulate her on the win and let it go."

Olivia grabbed her bag and went off the front of the stage. "Thanks Cy. It was a great work out. I have to head off to work now. I'll see you tomorrow for lunch right?"

"Yup, you be careful driving home tonight alright?"

"Sure, I'm off work at one then I'll be at the pool at five."

"You are kidding right?" Fitz spoke up. "You work until one in the morning and then go swimming at five? For fun?"

"No, I have a scholarship for a full ride at Harvard as long as I'm on the swim team. I can't let them down. Too many people count on me. Oh, Cyrus, don't forget that we are going to the food bank on Saturday to help with the dinner then going shopping for them."

"Wouldn't miss it, Liv."

Liv hugged Cyrus and went out to go to work.

"She seems busy," Fitz noted.

"She's always on the move. Never stops."

Olivia went off to work at the all night diner down the road close to the outside of town. When she didn't have a table to wait on she was studying for the SATs even though she knew everything on the test.

Just around midnight she had sent the other waitress home for the night. Liv started to clean up the kitchen and wiping down the tables when three men came in and robbed her at gun point. They took all the money in the register and raped her on the counter.

When they finally left, she locked the door and finished cleaning up. She wasn't sure what to do. She thought she should call the cops and file a report but she wasn't sure. She had no proof so it would be her word against theirs.

Liv cleaned up the restraunt and went to her car. She headed home and straight to bed. Olivia decided to forget the swim for the morning and went off to school around 6.

Putting her things in her locker, she got out the books she needed for her first few classes, glancing at herself in the mirror inside the locker. She had gone to bed but never really slept. Liv couldn't get the image of the boys on her out of her mind. She looked at her eyes and saw how tired she was, the bags under her eyes were very visible. She saw the marks from the gun across her cheek. Liv didn't have any kind of makeup to cover it up so she would have to keep her head down all day.

As she walked down the hall towards the library she was grateful that no one was really around. Classes were going to start in ten minutes, she knew she would have to go to them.

Liv made it through the first four hours of her classes then lunch and went down to Mr. Grant's room. She was a few minutes late coming in. Without a note, she passed Fitz and went to the empty desk next to Abby.

"What happened to you?" Abby nearly yelled when she saw Olivia.

"Keep your voice down. Don't worry about it, I'm fine," she said quickly.

"Liv, you don't look fine. What happened?" Harrison asked in a hushed tone.

"I said be quiet."

They went on with class taking the test and doing a few assignments until the bell rang.

"Ms. Pope, a word please," Fitz asked before she walked out. She told Abby and Harrison to go on without her and turned around towards her teacher not looking at him. "You did very well yesterday during our debate. Your timings were excellent and your comebacks terrific. Congratulations on your win, even if it was against me." He noted that she seemed awfully interested in her shoes as she kept looking down.

"Thank you, Mr. Grant. I'm sorry you had to lose like that."

"Perhaps we can go for another round next time." He watched her nod in agreement. "Ms. Pope are you alright?"

"Never better. Why do you ask?"

Fitz put his hand on her shoulder and instantly noticed her yank away from him and hiss in pain. "That didn't seem okay to me. What happened to your shoulder?"

"I just hit it on the wall this morning during my swim. I'll be fine later."

Fitz touched her arm and she moved further away. He threw his hands up as if in surrender. "I'm sorry!" Olivia looked up and he could see her face. "What the hell happened?"

"I wish people would stop asking that. Again, I'm fine."

Fitz knew that he wasn't going to get any information out of her but knew who could. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her down to the office. "Get Cyrus. It's an emergency," Fitz told his secretary. Cyrus sent this appointment out to reschedule. Fitz pulled her into his office still holding her wrist. "Tell him what is going on."

"Would you let go of me! You have no right to pull me down here like that. I have nothing to explain to anyone."

"Olivia, what happened to your face?" Cyrus asked.

"I've asked her the same thing. She won't answer me," Fitz said.

They both sat in chairs watching her, waiting for her answer. She didn't say anything to them and kept her stare down to her feet.

"Did something happen at work?" Cyrus asked. "That place is not as safe as the diner in town is. I told you to go for that one."

"They came back last night."


	3. Raped

"They?" Fitz asked.

"Cyrus, does he have to be here?" Olivia defended.

"Anything you tell me, I'll just tell him, he's worried too. You might as well tell him too," Cyrus told her.

She didn't really know him and didn't want to explain everything in front of him. "Those guys came back last night. They took everything in the register. I had just sent Natalie home for the night and was cleaning up when they came in. They took the money and left."

"How did that happen to your face?" Cyrus asked.

"It looks like the tip of a gun," Fitz added.

"It is," Olivia mumbled.

"What else did they do, Liv?" Cyrus watched her face turn pale. "Did they touch you?"

When she didn't say anything, both men knew. "That's why you flinched when I touched your shoulder. Did they hit you?"

Olivia nodded and started to cry. "And worse than that."

"Did they touch you other than your arm?" Cyrus asked.

She went over and hugged Cyrus tightly as she cried. "They raped me," she said quietly so only he could hear.

Fitz got a glass of water for her and handed it to her. "Did you call the police?"

"No."

"Olivia, we have to call the cops. Did you go for a swim this morning?" She shook her head no. "Good, we need to get the police over here now."

"Cyrus, no. I will go to the police station myself. I've got this handled."

"You shouldn't go alone, Olivia," Fitz said.

"He's right. I'll go with you. I'll help you through all of this. Gladiators?"

"Over a cliff, Cy."

Cyrus excused Olivia and himself for the rest of the day and took her to the police station to file the report. He went with her to the hospital to get a rape kit done and sat outside the room while she was being examined.

After school was out, Fitz went over to the hospital to check on her. He saw Cyrus in the waiting room and brought him bottled water.

"What are you doing here?"

"My student was raped and in the hospital for an examination. Why wouldn't I be here?"

"Because most teachers would just keep an eye on the student at school. She's gotten to you hasn't she?"

"She did not get to me. She's just my student."

"Don't feel bad. She has made every teacher fall in love with her. She's like their own daughter. I've already got emails and texts coming in from her teachers after you asking where she is. Olivia has never missed a day of school in her life. Even when her mom died, she still showed up for school."

Fitz looked around the waiting room looking for someone that looked a bit like Olivia. "Where's her dad?"

"He's in D.C. She hasn't told him yet. I'll make sure she does tell him when this part is over. He should be here for her. Eli is a crappy father but she has what she need, physically and financially. Emotionally she's crippled."

Fitz nodded and the two went to silence for several minutes. "We can't let her go back to that diner. What if they come back again?"

Cyrus sighed and shook his head. "I tried to talk her out of it the first time. She said it was just a few punks getting money for drugs. I wanted to convince her that she didn't need to work at least there but she said she loved the people there and it worked around her schedule."

"I don't like the idea of her working there again."

"Olivia has made up her mind. There is no changing it when it comes to her. She's very headstrong and won't back down. She's insisting on going back to work tonight, no matter how much I protest about it. Liv reminds me that I'm not her father but I can't help but protect her. Something could happen tonight and she'd be there alone. If something did happen to her and I didn't do something to prevent it, I'd hate myself."

"I would too. Do you think we could debate it with her? She seems to be open to debating everything. Maybe if we told her the risks of it, she would come around."

"She knows the risks. She just doesn't want to face it. I can't actually make her do anything. She's 17 and knows what she wants. Liv will be a gladiator and make it thru though. She will make it to the end of the road in this situation."

"I hope so. For her sake."

Fitz and Cyrus waited for another hour for Olivia to come out of the room. When she did she was wearing a set of scrubs that the hospital gave her to wear.

"Everything okay?" Cyrus asked.

"They gave me the number of a rape councilor. They think I need to talk to someone about what happened. Like I'm really going to talk to a shrink about that."

"You never know, Olivia," Fitz started. "Councilors can be very helpful. Therapy may be good for you."

"With everything else that I have to do, you think I have time to sit on a couch and babble on about my feelings? Gladiators don't get to have feelings. They have to fight."

"But they also don't get to run. You can't run away from the issue, Liv. You being raped is the issue at hand right now. You can't ignore the facts. We can postpone debate for a few weeks if you want. That will give you time to meet with a counselor and discuss how you feel about this."

"Or maybe I'll have time to braid my hair and gossip about the cute boys at school," Olivia said in her sarcastic tone. "I have to have debate. I need a debate work out with anyone who can challenge me. Now please take me back to school so I can go to work."


	4. Diner

Olivia went home and dressed for work after Cyrus dropped her off at her car at school. She made sure she had everything she needed for the next day as per her usual routine. She didn't want to change her whole life around for something, she thought, to be as minor as being raped. When she got to the diner to start her seven o'clock shift, she saw that there weren't many people there.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

In the corner booth was Cyrus. "We came for dinner. We both have to eat sometime," Cyrus answered.

"And it just happens to be here? Come on, Cy; I know you better than that. You hate coming here because it's too far away from home and you hate the food."

"I decided to give it another shot. Sometimes the third time is the charm. Maybe I'll try a salad, I know I don't like the pasta and the burgers aren't too bad. Can you get me a refill though? I'm still deciding on what food I want."

Olivia took his cup and refilled the Coke a bit irritated that he was there. "Here, when are you leaving?"

"Are you always this rude to your customers? I thought you might be nicer to them."

"I'm nice to them, be nice to me and I won't spit in your food."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me. I don't need your protection Cy. I'm a big girl and can take care of myself. I've been doing it long enough now. I'll make you something to eat, then you can go home to James. Don't make a big deal out of this."

Cyrus let her go make his dinner and read the paper while he waited. When she came back with his food he made her sit down. "It is a big deal. They violated you, raped you. It's going to change you and it's okay for that. Let us help you through this. Whatever you need, anytime, call me. I'll be right there alright?"

Liv nodded and went back to work. Cyrus didn't leave until 10:30 when Fitz showed up while Liv was in the back doing dishes. She came back out front ready to take the new customer's order.

"Hey there, what can I get for… why are you here?" she asked, knowing the answer already.

"I am hungry, why else go to a diner?"

"Ever heard of McDonald's? They are open all night too and you can even take it to go home. You're leaving, Cy, so you bring in the new puppy?"

"Hey, I'm not a puppy. Guard dog is what I prefer. A big, mean, vicious, guard dog," Fitz responded.

Olivia crossed her arms and stared down both of the men. "I am NOT happy about this."

"You don't have to be happy about it, you just have to deal with it. I'll see you for lunch tomorrow," Cyrus said as he kissed her cheek and walked out.

"The only reason you're here is because Cyrus sent you."

"Wrong, I'm here for food and to make sure that you are okay. Also, because James is out of town and Cyrus sent me," he mumbled.

"What do you want?"

"Burger, fries, and a coke please."

_"I ought to spit in his food," she thought as she walked away._

"Spit in my food and I'll fail you on every test for the rest of the term."

Liv turned around and stuck her tongue out at him and he did the same.

The diner was empty around 11 and she started to clean up. Fitz had offered to help her clean but she told him no.

"You could leave and go home, to bed maybe? You have school in the morning."

"So do you. I'm not leaving until this place closes and I make sure you are home safely."

"Great, will you eat this cake then? I don't want to waste it."

Fitz sat at the counter and ate the chocolate cake until he broke the silence. "Why do you call him Cyrus? It doesn't seem professional."

"He's a friend of mine now. We're more than principal and student. We've had lunch together every day for four years. I've been to his house for dinner and Christmas, New Years, Thanksgiving. He's my best friend."

"We could be friends."

"Actually, we can't."

"What? Why not?"

"You are my teacher and you called me a 'fucking bitch' because you lost a debate. You are a sore loser. Besides, you hardly know me."

"I know enough about you to start a friendship. I think that counts for something."

"The only reason you are here is because Cyrus told you not to eat anything and come play babysitter for me." Fitz was shocked that she knew so much about it. "He thinks he can hide it from me but he can't. And besides he wants us to be friends so that he doesn't have to lose every time I take him to debate against me. Though, I'm not sure why he thinks he can trust you with me."

"You mean he can't? I can be trusted with you."

"Okay," she forced.

"I can be. We could be trusted with each other. Why do you think otherwise?"

"I have my reasons. It doesn't matter though. Cyrus is Cyrus and he will think and do whatever he wants without realizing the consequences."

"You seem to have put a lot of thought into this."

"Every outcome has a consequence. It's just how life works. I'm almost done out here, I need to do the dishes. You can go now."

"I've already told you. I can't leave until I know that you are safely home."

"Is that your rule or Cyrus's?"

"Does it matter?"

"It matters. They aren't going to follow me home. They only the money out of the register. I was a bonus last night. It's not going to happen again."

"And I'm going to make sure of that."


	5. Babysit

Fitz followed Olivia home and made sure she got into the house okay before he left to go home himself. Cyrus had texted him to make sure that she was okay.

In the morning he had breakfast with Cyrus at the café across the street from school so they could discuss Liv.

"What do we do about her? She won't go to therapy," Fitz said.

"I can't make her go. She's Olivia Pope. She's going to do what she wants to do. There isn't really anything I or anyone else can do about it."

"Can't you threaten her with something?"

"You want me to threaten Olivia Pope? With what?" Cyrus laughed.

"I don't know. Make it mandatory for her to be in school or to be on the debate team. Something so she will get the help she needs."

"I would have my head on the chopping block and she'd never speak to me again. Olivia will deal with her issues in her own way in her own time. She always."

"Fine, we have to get to school now."

At lunch Liv had her usual time with Cyrus working on debates and arguing about her therapy issue.

"I don't need therapy, Cy. Therapy does nothing to help. It's all talk," she told him.

"Then talk to me about it. I can call James if you want and you can talk to him. He's more in touch with emotions anyway."

"I am a gladiator. Gladiators don't get to cry or suffer from their wounds. I've picked myself up off the ground a million times before and that's what I'm doing now. We don't get to have feelings."

"You took that to the extreme when I talked to you about gladiators. Liv, you can cry about it. I'll have James talk to you tonight. Chat with him, he always makes you feel better."

"I'm not talking about it, that's final. I have to get to Civics with the puppy. I'll see you later at debate, Cy."

Olivia went down to Fitz's classroom and walked in ten minutes early than class should start. The room was empty so she set up her books and notes ready to start, when Fitz came in.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Pope," Fitz said through a yawn.

"Afternoon, you know you wouldn't be so tired if you didn't come babysit me last night," she told him with her arms folded to show her seriousness.

"Is that so?" He watched her nod. "Well, then it's a good thing I have the earlier shift tonight."

Olivia's eyes went wide like a cat's when he told her. "You are not coming in tonight."

"Yes I am. I'll be there around 7 and the Cyrus will be there at 10:30."

"Neither of you are coming to babysit me tonight. I do not need your protection."

"Needed or not, we'll be there."

"Why do you care? I know why Cyrus is doing this, but you I think have an ulterior motive."

"Why do you say that? I care because you are my student in a dangerous position. Someone your age should not be working so late on the outskirts of town. It is not safe."

"I'm going to find out what your motive is. Then I'm going to tell Cyrus. No one does something out of pure kindness, there is always an ulterior motive."

"Cyrus has taught you well, I see. And you're right I do have a motive behind it."

"Good, tell me what it is and save me the time."

"But where's the fun in that? But I will tell you. It's to make sure that you are safe."

"That's your public reason not your motive. I will find out one way or another. You can't hide secrets from me. Dirty little secrets always come out. You and Cyrus are not to come within ten miles of the diner tonight. I can take care of myself."

"Liv, it's very simple for you to get us to stop going to the diner."

"You can't call me that."

"Why not? It's just a nickname."

"That only Cyrus can call me. You are my teacher. You can't call me that."

Fitz moved and got in her face, nearly close enough to kiss. "So if I wasn't your teacher, I could call you that?"

"No. You still wouldn't be able to call me that. How can I get the two of you to stop showing up at the diner?"

"All you have to do is go to therapy. Only a few sessions to make it better. Then we will stop showing up at the diner and being as you say 'babysitter'. It's rather simple."

"I refuse to sit on a couch and express my feelings about three men violating me in the most disgusting way possible. It will NOT happen."

"Fine, then I will see you tonight at 7. I think I'll try the fish tonight. Minus the spit you plan to put in it."

Class had started to fill as Fitz went back to his desk.

When school was over Olivia did her normal routine. Go for a swim, debate, home to get ready for the next day, then off to work. When she arrived Fitz was already at the counter.

"Enjoy your swim?"

"Yes, not as much as I'll enjoy you leaving though."

"Why don't you like me?"

"What makes you think I don't like you?"

"You want me gone all the time. You don't like anything about me, so why don't you like me?"

"You are full of yourself. You think everything can just be handed to you. Even Cyrus handed you a job. You didn't need to apply or anything. He had it in hand and gave it to you. You are sure that you are entitled to anything you want and think you deserve the moon. Sorry to tell you, the world doesn't work like that. You have to earn what you want."

"You obviously don't know me at all, Livie."


	6. Out

It had been a week since Fitz and Cyrus started taking turns sitting at the diner while Olivia worked. Each day she told them to go and leave her alone but they never would. She was getting sick of seeing their faces everywhere that they shouldn't be. They both tried to convince her to go to therapy still but she refused. The cops caught the three boys who robbed and raped her which made her feel better but Fitz and Cyrus still came in to the diner every night. On the weekend, James came in and attempted to convince her as well but he had no luck.

Fitz was able to make her laugh a lot when he was in having dinner and sometimes at school too. She'd only known him a couple of weeks and she could tell she was nearly falling for him. She decided that she needed to keep her distance from him even though it was so hard. He was everywhere and when he wasn't, Cyrus was pushing them together.

"Can't you debate with me tonight, Cy? We haven't gone against each other in a while. I need you, please?" Liv begged.

"Fitz is great though. You've been kicking his ass every time. Tonight will be no different."

"He's letting me win. I need a challenge and you put up a great fight. Just for tonight?"

"What's going on? You love an easy win."

"I know, but I need fresh material. You need to be my opponent just for tonight okay?"

Using her last resort she gave Cyrus the one look she knew he couldn't refuse. "Don't do that," he barked. "I hate that look." Liv kept going. "Stop it." Still she wouldn't stop. "Fine! Only for tonight though."

"Great, thank you Cy! I'll tell Mr. Grant that he doesn't need to come to debate tonight. I'll see you then!" She ran out of his office before he had time to protest.

Olivia went to Fitz's classroom and saw it was empty. She didn't know how well she could face him without giving away anything lately so she left a note.

_Here's my assignments for today's lesson and the essay that is due next week. Won't need you for debate tonight. Enjoy the night off. ~Olivia Pope_

As quick as she could, Olivia left her papers under the note and ran off to the library. She went to work for the rest of the day on her next assignments for her classes until the end of the school day.

When she went to work, she thought she was going to be free for the night since either Cyrus or Fitz was there.

After a half hour, the bell on the door chimed signaling an entrance or exit, while Olivia was doing dishes in the back. She came out front and saw Fitz sitting at the counter.

"Hi," he said when he saw her.

"Hi," she responded a few seconds later. "I told you to enjoy the night off."

"From debate. I'd still be here though. Can you at least tell me in person that you are ditching my class?"

"It's not really ditching when I have all the work done and know what we are going over today in class. I suppose that you are right, I could have told you in person but you weren't in your room and I didn't know where to find you."

"Teacher's lounge, cafeteria, Cyrus's office, library."

"You want me to search everywhere in the school for you to tell you I wasn't going to your class? Seems easier to leave a note."

"True."

"I've got it covered tonight. Go home and get some sleep, you can use it. Get some grading done or whatever it is you need to do."

"Are you going to therapy?"

"No. I'm not going to go to therapy. I've already told you my feelings on the matter."

"Then I'm staying."

Olivia was getting a bit irritated with the babysitting role that he and Cyrus had. "No, you are not staying. Go down to the café or to McDonald's and get something to eat. You have to go."

"I don't remember leaving you the boss of me. I should check into that."

"I have HAD IT with this bull shit of you and Cyrus coming in here and playing babysitter watch dog. I don't need you looking after me. I've been doing it for five years and can take care of myself. You two have your own lives to live."

"You are part of our lives. We're just trying to protect you."

"The boys who raped me are in jail and they aren't getting out for a long time. I don't need protection. The two of you are smothering me! I cannot breathe when the two of you are around. You two come in here and watch me work. You make sure I go to school and go to class and show up where I'm supposed to be and try to talk me into therapy knowing that I will not go and want to know where I am every minute of every day. I have a father for that and he doesn't even ask me that! He lives on the other side of the country, thank God, and I don't have to listen to the questions. 'Where are you', 'where've you been', 'who were you with'? I'm suffocating from you two. I don't need your damn protection!" Olivia yelled.

"We are just trying to keep you safe."

"There's no damn monsters in the closet, or the boogyman under my bed, or ghosts roaming around. I can take care of myself. I've had it with the two of you hovering. Get the hell out!"

"Livie, come on," he tried to reason.

"Do NOT call me that!"

"Olivia, you are being irrational. It's for your own safety that we are here."

"Either you get out or I will."

"Olivia."

"Fine," she went out the door and left.


	7. Protection

Olivia had successfully dodged both Fitz and Cyrus for an entire month after her yelling match with Fitz at the diner. Both in school and out, she didn't speak to either of them. Liv turned in her assignments to Fitz's desk with a sticky note attached and left before he returned. She skipped her lunches with Cyrus and debate practice choosing to debate by herself using a pros and cons list she would make for each subject.

Fitz had tried many times to reach out to her and help her with anything she needed, as did Cyrus. Neither of them could reach her. She refused to answer the door when they came over, ignored their calls and texts, deleted the emails without reading them. Anything to avoid them at all costs.

"You ladies have a good night," Olivia told her customers one night. As they left, Fitz held the door open them wishing them a safe drive home. "Lauren, will you get that customer," she asked when she heard his voice. Olivia decided to hide out in the back of the restraunt for a few minutes gathering her thoughts. She didn't want to face him now. She'd been going strong about not telling him how she felt about him all month and now he was here causing her to crumble. She heard Lauren ask for his order and then silence.

"Sorry, Liv. He says he will only have you as the waitress."

"Did you tell him I'm not here?"

"He saw you. You have to think quicker than him. I'm out now, I'll stay if you want though."

"No, it's alright, you go home and put Tommy to bed. I'll be fine."

"Okay, call me if you need anything."

"Will do." She went out the seating area and went towards Fitz keeping plenty of distance between them. "Cheeseburger, fries, coke, apple pie. I'll get it going," she said and turned back to towards the kitchen.

"Thanks but I didn't really come to eat."

She took a deep breath in and held it as she turned back to face him. "I figured. I take it Cyrus is on his way here now then?"

"Cyrus doesn't know I'm here. He says you'll come around eventually but I think you've had plenty of time to wallow."

"Wallow? I'm wallowing? For what exactly?"

"In your own self-pity. It's time to get back up and join the rest of the world."

"Sorry, I didn't realize I was lying in bed, crying over every little detail in my life. I thought I was moving on and finishing what I needed to do. In my life, there is no time for self-pity or wallowing. I guess I didn't realize what wallowing was."

"You are, in your own way. You're cutting people out of your life when they only want to help you. You didn't just cut me and Cyrus out of your life, you did it to Harrison and Abby too. I talked to them. You haven't spent any time with them since school started. They don't even know that you were raped."

"I don't ever want to hear that word again. I've moved on. I did what I had to do to get on with my life so that wouldn't drag me down."

"You went to therapy then."

"Therapy doesn't work. I'm not built to sit there and talk about feelings like James and you. I'm made to handle the situation, come up with a solution and contain the issue. That's exactly what I did."

"How do you know if you aren't built for therapy if you haven't tried it?"

"I did try it. For two weeks I gave it a shot. Just to get yours and Cyrus's voices out of my damn head. It didn't do a damn thing to make it better. I've moved past the whole situation that happened and I'm back to being myself. I'm not afraid when someone puts their hand on my shoulder or when someone comes towards me. I'm back to me!"

"That's great, Liv. But you aren't really back to you. The you that I know would be talking to Cyrus. The Olivia I know would be having lunch with Cyrus every day in his office and showing up late to my class every other day. She would also be going to debate practice and not ignoring people. She'd be talking to her friends and coming to my class to be the smart ass I know she is. So, you may think that you are back to being yourself but you aren't really."

Olivia threw her pen down on the table. "That's what you want from me? To have lunch with Cyrus and show up late?"

"Yeah, is that a problem?"

"No, but there's another motive behind that. You want something more but you won't say what it is."

"I want you back to yourself. I want you to go back to the smart ass you are that pissed me off at the first debate we had against each other and I called you a fucking bitch. That's the Olivia Pope that I like. Whatever this Olivia has, is nothing compared to her."

"I haven't changed! I didn't leave to turn into someone else. I just got tired of you and Cyrus hovering. I'm not a kid on the first time bike ride or a new dog that has to be housebroken. I'm me. I'll go back to having lunch with Cyrus and go back to debate practice. I'll do it. I just don't need you to worry about me and ask if I'm doing okay and how I feel about shit. You shouldn't care that much to begin with."

"So you want me to stop caring? Because that isn't going to happen."

"Why not? I'm just your student. There isn't anything special about me."

"There is though. I don't know why but I feel the need to protect you just like Cyrus does."

"I don't need protection."


	8. Rude

Olivia went back to having her daily lunch with Cyrus the next day. She even went back to having debate with him. Liv turned back her time to her usual schedule. The only thing she didn't do: go to Mr. Grant's Civics class. She tried to go several days in a row but she couldn't bear to see him. Every time she did see him in the halls, her stomach turned into knots and butterflies flew through her stomach.

"She's skipping my class on purpose, Cy," Fitz told him two weeks later.

"She can't be doing it intentionally."

"Olivia has missed the last two weeks of my class. She usually leaves her homework assignments on my desk with a note. Now she's put them in an envelope and putting them in my mailbox. She's avoiding me. I don't know why though."

"Cyrus, I brought lunch from the café…" she started until she saw Fitz at lunchtime. "I didn't know you were busy. Here's your lunch, Cyrus. I'll just talk to you at debate later." Liv left his office as quick as she could closing the door behind her.

"See? She doesn't look at me and doesn't even acknowledge me. I don't know what I did to piss her off."

"Olivia is probably still mad about the whole diner situation. She will get over it soon and will realize that we were only trying to keep her safe. I'll talk to her and work this out."

"Actually, I have an idea." Fitz told him his idea and Cyrus agreed.

"You better know what you are doing though. She's feisty and will attack if necessary. If you corner her, I can't protect you. And don't do anything beyond repair okay?"

"Deal. I'll take care of this and we'll be done with the situation. I'll text you after it," Fitz said as he left.

Olivia had finished her swim and dried off going to the auditorium for debate. She tried a few doors only to find that they were locked. On the last door she tried it finally opened. She stepped in and turned on the light looking for Cyrus as she set her bag down. She moved closer to the stage setting up her notes while she waited for his arrival. After a few minutes the door opened.

"You're late, Cy. What happened to always being early?" She looked up as Fitz came into the light. "Hey, sorry, I thought you were Cyrus. He's late."

"Actually he won't be joining us tonight. He's got a few things to take care of."

"Well I wish he would have told me that, I could be getting ready for work right now," Olivia walked off stage getting her bag. "I'll see you later, Mr. Grant."

Fitz sat on the edge of the stage and watched Olivia go to the door trying to open it. "It's locked." She went to another and tried. "Locked too." Going to another one. "That one too." Even through the darkness he could see the evil look on her face. "Locked, locked, and locked," he said pointing to the doors.

"And why are they locked?"

"Because I locked them. You can't escape me, Livie."

"I've told you about calling me that. You can't keep me locked in here."

"I can. I have it locked and I have the only key to unlock it. We need to talk. And this time, you aren't leaving until we are finished."

"I don't have time for this. Let me out of here or I'll scream."

"Go ahead, it's 4:30, no one will hear you, there's no one here."

"You play dirty," she awarded him.

"True. Come sit down. We need to discuss some things."

"Does Cyrus know that you are here?"

"Yes, I discussed all of this with him earlier. When you so rudely came into his office and never said a word to me."

"Oh, I'm sorry did I hurt your feelings?"

"Perhaps, but if that's how it was, you've been hurting my feelings for weeks."

"Why? Because I haven't talked to you?"

"And you haven't come to my class, or responded to emails, texts, calls. You're leaving your homework in my mailbox."

"So?"

"What did I do that pissed you off? Are you still pissed about the diner thing? Help me understand what is going on so I can help you."

"I don't need your help. I'm not pissed off at you or at anyone else. It's just something that I have to come to terms with. I'm handling it."

"Not very well from the looks of it."

"You don't know how I handle things."

"Cyrus has noticed it too. You're avoiding me for some reason but I can't figure out why. I've discussed it with him and he's sure that it's about the diner thing. Talk to me, Liv."

"You really need to stop calling me that."

"Why? Everyone else calls you that. It's just a nickname, Livie."

"It's inappropriate."

"It is not. Why can't I call you that? Why can't you talk to me? What's with the silent treatment? Why can't you look at me? Why do you keep ditching my class and avoiding me in the halls? Why can't your treat me like you do every other teacher? What makes me so different from them? What makes me so different from Cyrus? Why can't you just be yourself around me? Why can't you…"

"Because I LOVE YOU!" she yelled. Immediately, she covered her mouth, unable to believe she just said it out loud. "I have to go. I need to go." She picked up her bag and ran to the door, slamming her face against it when it didn't open. "Can you open the door?" she asked nicely rubbing her head.

He stared at her for several minutes.

"OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!"

Fitz jumped at her tone and went to unlock the door. The second it opened she ran for her life to her car and went off to work.


	9. Kiss

Cyrus and Fitz didn't show up that night to the diner, making Olivia very happy. She wasn't sure how to handle the new situation though. She could go explain to Mr. Grant that she didn't mean it, but he knew she'd be lying. This was the time that she would have to ignore him, again. Skip his class by hanging out with Cyrus through lunch and after. She did not want to go to his class and face him again.

"So you and Mr. Grant talked last night?" Cyrus asked.

"Sort of, and I do not appreciate being blindsided about that. You could have told me that you were sending him instead."

"Well, you ran out of here so fast, I couldn't tell you. So it's settled between you two?"

"Um, sure, if that's what you want. We worked it out."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Probably because I'm lying."

"Well, let's go." He got up and made her follow behind him as he personally took her to Fitz's class. He opened the classroom door and let her in. Class hadn't actually started yet but Fitz was in the room grading paper. "I need the two of you to get over it and start getting along. Whatever you two have to do to start getting along, do it now."

Olivia went to her desk and started to set up for class, ignoring both Fitz and Cyrus.

"Cyrus, I don't think it's a good idea," Fitz told him.

"Why not? You two could have a lot in common but you don't know yet."

"Leave it alone, Cyrus. This is something you don't want to get involved with," Liv scolded.

Cyrus heard her tone and feared the worst. "What did you do Fitz?"

"ME?"

"She was perfectly fine before you got here. What did you do to her?"

"You were the one who sent me to make sure she was okay. Anything that happened is your fault."

"Cyrus, he didn't do anything. And neither did you. Things change okay? Now leave him alone."

"Liv, obviously something is wrong. For now, I'm going to let this go but I want my Olivia Pope back. Bring her back soon please, or I'll have James force her to come back."

"I'd like to see how that one goes."

Cyrus left the two of them in the classroom alone. They left the room silent for several minutes.

"Do you want to talk about this?" Fitz asked. She shook her head no. "I think we should." Again, she shook her head no. "So we are going to ignore all of this?" She nodded yes. "I don't think that's healthy."

"Fine, I should not have said what I said yesterday. I should have kept quiet about this. It was highly inappropriate."

"But if that's how you feel then you should say something."

"I did say something and then it made everything uncomfortable between us. So from now on, I'm not going to say anything to you or about you to anyone, and that includes Cyrus. Please do me the same curtesy."

"Olivia, it doesn't work like that. You either need to face your feelings or push them far away."

"That is what I am doing! I am pushing them away and I will not deal with them. It's just a stupid school girl crush that means nothing."

Fitz moved to the desk in front of her and turned to see her. "You and I both know that you are wise beyond your years and that you have been taught by the greatest. You act, think, and look more like an adult than any other adult I have ever known. Face the feelings you have and work it out with me. We could be great together."

"What are you trying to say?"

Instead of giving her a verbal answer, he moved in and kissed her lips showing her what he meant. Their kiss lasted for three minutes as they tried to tell each other through it how they felt.

Olivia was the first to pull away. She didn't feel the need to run or to say anything; she just stared into Fitz's eyes.

He could tell that she meant every word of what she said about the feelings for him. That kiss was filled with love, perhaps a bit of passion added in. He pulled away from her and left the room, leaving her alone to wonder. Running to the bathroom, he splashed cold water on his face trying to come back to himself. How could he just kiss a student like that? Especially one that was considered to be Cyrus's daughter? He knew he would be in a lot of trouble if Cy ever found out.

Olivia left the room taking everything of hers along. She scurried down to the office and filled out the form she asked for handing it to the secretary as Cyrus opened his office door.

"I'll take that, Linda." She handed him the form and he read it. "In my office, now." Slowly, she walked in feeling the disappointed tone in his voice. "This must be a mistake. My Olivia wouldn't transfer classes because of a stupid argument against her teacher."

"I screwed up. I shouldn't have said anything about it, but you know me and my big mouth. None of this is his fault, don't fire him okay?"

"I'm not going to fire him. I just left the two of you to discuss it twenty minutes ago and this is what happens? I'm glad I didn't leave you alone with him any longer."

"Cyrus, don't blame him. I caused this. It's not his fault. Please, he did nothing wrong. Everything that happened was my fault."

"I really wish those boys hadn't raped you. You've changed for the worse since then."

"I NEVER want to hear anyone talk about that again. It's got nothing to do with me now. And this has nothing to do with that. I'm sorry I argued with him."


	10. Lie

"I should have shut my mouth when he told me to. I just didn't want to hear it. I'll apologize to him after school before my swim. I'm sure he's very angry with me and anything else. I'll take whatever punishment both of you decide to give me," Liv said.

"Under the circumstances, I only blame myself. I pushed the two of you together when I shouldn't have. I knew," Cyrus started before the door opened.

"Cyrus, I did something I shouldn't…" Fitz said as he walked in until he saw Olivia.

"No need to say anything, Mr. Grant. I've already discussed it with Mr. Beene and I am transferring to another class. You won't have to see me in your class anymore. Cyrus will help me with my debates if he chooses or I will do them myself. I apologize for my behavior earlier and from the few weeks before now. I should know my place and keep my mouth shut when told to do so. I realize that you are the teacher and I am the student and that's how it should be," she said looking at her feet. "I shouldn't have called you those names and accused you of having a motive for them. I know you were only acting under Cyrus's ask and I apologize. Also for calling you a perverted pedophile. I know that you aren't and I shouldn't have even thought it. I've filed the form to be moved to another class and Cyrus has it now. I'm sure he will get me to the new class by tomorrow. My assignments are on your desk for today. Thank you for taking the time to do something so nice for me even when I was an awful person to you."

Fitz listened to her and tried not to look surprised at what she was saying. He knew that none of it was true and wondered why she was lying. She could have easily told Cyrus that he kissed her and she'd be off the hook, but she didn't. He cleared his throat and looked out the window avoiding her eyes. "That's alright, Ms. Pope, I'm sure the experience that you went through gave you a different perception of things."

"Yes, it has," she said through gritted teeth.

"I accept the apology and your work for the day. Enjoy Ms. Hart's Civics class."

"Thank you, if you two will excuse me, I have some work to do in the library." She left his office and started her way to the other side of the school.

"I'm sorry she treated you like that, Fitz. She's just having a hard time," Cyrus explained.

"I know she means well. I'm going to be late for my class. I'll talk to you later." As soon as the main office door closed, he ran trying to catch up with Olivia. "Olivia!" he yelled when he saw her. She didn't stop and he called her name again. Eventually he caught up with her. "Hey, what was that back there? Why did you lie to Cyrus?"

"I was taking one for the team, it's not a big deal."

"So, we're a team now?"

"It's a metaphor. I wasn't doing it for you."

"Well, you weren't doing it for him or yourself."

"You don't get it do you?"

"What? Explain it to me. None of this makes any sense. You lied to Cyrus and told him you called me all those names, which you never did. And we didn't argue."

"I took one for the team. I didn't do it for me. I did it for the two of you. You and him are friends and he doesn't really have that many."

"So?"

"If he finds out that we kissed, no matter whose fault it was, he will blame you. He will never forgive you for doing that after he pulled all the strings for you to get the job here. I'm like his daughter, no matter what I do, he will always forgive me. He can't stay mad at me but he can you. I was making sure that everything would stay the same between you two, so I lied. Go with it and make sure you keep it straight. That plan was bulletproof. There's no way he will see through it, so get with the program and keep your mouth shut. He fought, I called you names, many inappropriate names and I transferred class before you could kick me out."

"But that's not what happened."

"Can't you just thank me and move on, or just move on? We can be done with all of this and move forward."

"And if I don't want to move forward? What if I want to stand here and be here with you?"

He could see her visibly relax but knew it would only take mere seconds for her defenses to go back up. "I would love to."

"Wait, you aren't fighting this?"

"You are the one who kissed me, I just responded. It's not like there's much they can do to me. The entire risk is on you. I can't make you choose to walk away or to take the risk with me. I can only live with the decision you make. I'm a big enough girl to understand the risks that you would be taking and if you didn't want to take them with me, I'd understand. You'd be facing harsh words from everyone, losing your teaching license, prosecution from the state, the investigation and so much more."

"It seems like you've gone through this before."

"Never enter a situation where you don't know the consequence of the actions about to be committed," she quoted.

"Cyrus?"

"Yup, he taught me well."

Fitz took her hand and pulled her into the auditorium after making sure it was clear. "I want to take that risk. You're amazing and I want to be with you. But we couldn't get caught."

"I know."

"Then I'm in."

"Good, me too."


	11. Busted

A month had gone by since Fitz and Olivia started their relationship. He was with her all the time now, even Cyrus had noticed. They debated together, went for swims, graded and did homework together (though she didn't need his help). She worked at the diner every night, and every other night he would come in and sit with her. It seemed that the two were inseparable and that was starting to worry Cyrus.

"You won that debate by cheating, Livie," Fitz yelled on their 6 week anniversary.

"I did not. I won fair and square like I do every other time. It's not my fault you didn't prepare properly."

"You gave me the note cards except one of them," he said grabbing her and pulling her into him.

"They were stuck together," she added. She slid against him feeling him. "I hope that's your phone I'm feeling," she laughed.

"And if it isn't?"

She covered her blush into his chest before leaning up to kiss him. "Dad's gone again, you could… come over and maybe spend the night again. We could have some wild fun, more than we did earlier. If you want, totally up to you."

"I can't stay the night but I can go home and put you to bed, maybe a little more before you fall asleep. How is it you got the night off?"

"I asked for the night off. I wanted to spend tonight with you. I know it does sound girly but we've been together for 6 weeks now. I thought we could celebrate."

He laughed, "Sweet baby, that does sound girly. But I'm right there with you. Six amazing weeks and 37 times inside you is something I could celebrate."

"38, you forgot about the accident in the shower."

"I don't count that though, it was an accident."

"But still inside me. How about we go back to my place now and start the night before you have to leave?"

He ushered for her to lead, "After you, my lady."

"Thank you kind sir," she mocked.

He followed her back to her house and started their 'special time', as they called it, immediately when the door opened, wasting no time before he had to leave.

"Why do you wear these damn pants? I hate trying to get them off of you," he told her seductively.

She pulled her phone out of the back pocket, setting it on the night stand, and worked them down a little for him. "Try now."

"Mhm, so much better."

After their four hours of 'special time', he kissed her goodbye and left. She turned off the light and went to bed exhausted from her work out.

In the morning, she checked her phone for any messages from Fitz but saw her phone was dead. She got a shower and ready for school in record time after seeing her alarm had gone off twenty minutes before. Liv gathered her things for school and headed off.

She saw that Fitz wasn't in his classroom and told herself she'd talk to him later. Going to her locker and getting prepared for her classes she heard students scurry away; ignoring it she went about her own business.

"YOU!" she heard Cyrus yell from a ways down the hall. She turned to see who he was talking to, or yelling to, but no one else was in the hall with him.

"Good morning, Cy. Beautiful morning isn't it? What's up?"

"YOU!"

"Yes me. Me what?" She saw the look of pure anger in his eyes as he stomped towards her. "Cyrus? What's wrong?" He didn't respond to her and got to her locker slamming it shut. "Cy, is there something you want to discuss?" He forcefully grabbed her upper arm tight in his hand dragging her along with him. "Ow…ow…ow…ow…ow…ow. Cyrus…ow…ow…Let go… ow…Cy… ow…ow…Ease up."

He pulled her into his office and told his secretary not to bother him for any reason and slammed the door shut.

"What's the matter with you?"

"With me? What's the matter with me? What about you?"

"Cyrus, what are you talking about? Can you fill me in please so I know what we are discussing?"

"You and he are busted. I can't believe you would do this. I put the two of you together and you hate each other. I let it drop and you go at it for hours! What the hell is wrong with you!"

"It isn't what you think. I swear to God, Cyrus, it was all me. He had nothing to do with it. Fitz is completely…"

"Fitz now? Last time it was Mr. Grant who I can't stand. What changed?"

"Nothing changed, I still don't like him," she lied.

"Bull shit, and you know it. Did you realize that you called me last night? That I had to sit on the phone for FOUR FUCKING HOURS while the two of you did every nasty thing you could think of."

"Cyrus, please don't over react."

"I had to listen to both of your moans and screams and dear Christ the orgasms."

"Okay, I'm uncomfortable now."

"How the hell do you think I feel? It was like listening to a porn movie with you two."

"You could have turned the phone off."

"I tried that. Worthless piece of shit doesn't work."

"I told you to get a new one."

"Don't turn this shit around on me. I did nothing wrong. Except maybe introduce the two of you. What the hell were you thinking? He's your teacher!"

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"Are you punishing me for making him protect you after what happened?"

"Yeah, Cy, that's exactly what I'm doing. I thought the best way to get back at you was to sleep with your friend who just happened to be my teacher," she dripped with sarcasm. "If that's what you think happened then you don't know me very well."

"He's your teacher!"

"Not anymore!"


	12. Truth

"What do you mean not anymore?" Cyrus asked.

"I'd like to know too," Fitz added when he came in. He knew Cyrus would give him the death glare but he had to risk it for Liv. "Do you really think it was appropriate physically dragging her down here in front of other students, Cyrus?"

"Do you think it's really appropriate to screw your students?"

"I don't just screw her! I love Olivia. She means everything to me. And I'm sure she feels the same way. We discussed all of the possible consequences together before any of this started. I can't help that I love her or that she is much younger than me. We love each other and are meant to be together. But I would like to know what this business is of her not being my student anymore."

Both men stood with folded arms on opposite sides of the office staring at her. "I haven't been your student for over a month now. I was trying to tell you last night before everything got out of hand and you left. Tomorrow is the end of the term and my last day."

"Olivia, we talked about this before," Cyrus spoke up. "You should finish with the rest of the class and graduate with them next year."

"Wait, what are we talking about?" Fitz asked, moving closer to her. He saw Cyrus's glare and moved back away from her.

"I have had enough credits to graduate all year. I didn't really need to come back this year but I thought I could get some extra classes in. But I decided that I don't want to take them now. I've taken all the classes I care to take and I can graduate tomorrow. I just have to have Cyrus sign the diploma and I'm gone. I won't be your student anymore or a student at this high school. I'll officially be a college student instead of a college and high school student. We don't have to hide anything then. Fitz, we can go out in public on an actual date and whatever else we want to do."

"I'm against this entire idea, Liv," Cyrus added his two cents.

"I wasn't asking for your permission. I was telling you this is how it's going to go. I have everything handled and am starting the classes for the next term at the college in three weeks. I'll be a lawyer before I'm 22. Sign the diploma so I can get out of here and go on in life."

"No, it's a bad idea."

"You've been trying to protect me from college for the past two years. I'm going! And not next year or the year after I'm going at the end of the month. I'm doing what is right for me and the person I love so we can be together. I don't need your permission. Sign that damn paper."

"You can't date him!"

"And you aren't my father!" As soon as she said it, she wanted to take it back. She knew that he was like a father to her, better than the one she had. "Cyrus, I didn't mean that. I didn't, I'm sorry," she cried going over and hugging him.

"But you did. I'll sign the diploma and you can go."

"Cyrus, don't make it a thing. You know I didn't mean that. You and James are the only parents I have left. I just said it, I wasn't thinking. Please, Cy."

Cyrus unwrapped her arms from around him and went to his desk pulling out her diploma. "I knew it was coming eventually. The two of you have been acting different for several weeks now but I never would have thought this was what was causing the difference. I am very strongly against the two of you being together and he knows why. Go clear out your locker and you can have the rest of the day off since you finished your exams. I'll see you later." He handed her the diploma and motioned for her to leave.

"But you're still angry."

"No, not angry. A bit annoyed and maybe disappointed but not angry. Go."

"Go gentle please, Cy. None of this was his idea."

"I will see you later, Olivia."

She slowly took the diploma from him and walked out of the office closing the door gently behind her. Liv cleared out her locker and went home deciding to go in early for work.

"Cyrus, I know I shouldn't have gotten involved with her, but I can't help it," Fitz told him.

"Yes, yes, I heard you 'love' her. You don't even know anything about her. Except for what I heard last night."

"You heard all of that?"

"How do you think I found out?"

"I thought she might have told you."

"That is something she never would have told me until it was absolutely necessary. Like when she brought you home for dinner with me and James after you and she were already married. She knew I would disapprove of this and would be pissed. How could you do that to her?"

Fitz shook his head and put his hands in his pockets. "I didn't do anything to her. She wanted this before I even knew I loved her. Her attitude of avoiding me two months ago was because of her feelings for me. She didn't want to act on them because she loves you and she didn't want it to ruin our friendship. She told me she loved me and I kissed her the next day. The kiss just happened. Then she told you that we had the argument and wanted to transfer to another class. We never argued. She lied so you would still be friends with me. Livie knew that you would forgive her a lot easier than you would be. So she took one for the team."

"Two people have abandoned her before, make sure you're not the third. Break it off, now."


	13. Eli

"I've given you a week to tell her and you still haven't. You need to break it off with her, as easy as possible. I do not want to spend the next year picking her up and fixing the pieces. Save us both the trouble and do it now," Cyrus demanded.

"No, I have another idea and she won't get hurt, I promise Cy," Fitz countered.

"No, you have always had a problem finishing anything. Olivia has to have stability and truth in her life. So break it off, you aren't going to be around here anymore, you knew this was just a one year position, tell her."

"I will discuss it with her, tomorrow after dinner."

"You had better tell her then; she's going to find out soon when we start to interview the new teachers for the Civics class."

Fitz and Olivia went out to the nicest restraunt in town and had dinner. He was going to tell her that he was leaving but every time he tried to tell her, she came up with something else to say.

"Livie, I have to tell you something," he announced.

"Okay, but me first, Fitz I was thinking about college, I was going to go to Harvard next fall but I was thinking instead of spending the first two years here at the community college. It would give us time to be together. I was also wondering about something, would you want to move in with me? I obviously will have to tell my dad sometime, he's coming home this weekend and we're having dinner with Cyrus and James. I could tell him then with those two around and the reaction to the two of them wouldn't be so bad. He wouldn't cause a scene in front of them. What do you think?"

Fitz started to process what she was saying. He knew they were more than just an affair but she was making long term plans that included him without knowing the full truth.

"Liv, I don't want you to change your plans for me. I want you to do what you have always wanted to do. You and I will work something out to be together. I don't think telling your dad about us yet is a good idea."

"We've been dating for almost two months. He'll have to know about us sometime. If I tell him now, he will be fine. I'm sure he'll be mad because I am dating who used to be teacher, but he will get over it. It's good for him to know."

Fitz finished his drink and tried again. "Olivia, it's not that simple. There's something I need to tell you about . It's really important. I am not…"

"We don't need to discuss that now, I want to enjoy tonight with you. We can discuss all of that later."

They went on with their dinner in mostly silence. He took her home and kissed her goodnight before leaving.

"I tried to tell her, Cyrus. I just couldn't tell her. She started making plans and I couldn't tell her I was leaving. That seemed too cruel," He told Cyrus over coffee in the morning.

"And it didn't seem cruel to let her think that you were going to be together? It's very mean to do that. Eli is coming home this weekend and she's going to tell him that she's dating you. She wants to introduce the two of you. Liv has already informed me that she is ready to take the consequences from him. Why make her go through all of that when you are just going to leave."

"I am going to tell her soon."

Fitz sent her roses and note thanking her for the night before.

He tried for several days to tell her that his job wasn't permanent and he was leaving at the end of the school year. Every time he tried to tell her she changed the subject to something else.

Eli came home on Friday and was able to spend the Olivia on her night off of work.

"So, how's school?" he asked starting a conversation.

"I decided to go to college for this term. Cyrus signed my diploma and I graduated."

"That's great; I wish you would have told me. Any boyfriends?"

"Yes actually, you'll meet him this weekend. Cyrus loves him, he's very sweet."

"He treats you well?"

"Yes, Dad. He is very good to me."

"Anything I should know about him before I meet him?" Eli asked.

"Well, he's a bit older than I am. Just a bit older."

"Like college age?"

"A bit older than college age."

"Explain."

"He's about thirty. Cyrus introduced us. He's super sweet and kind to me. He is just the best. He makes me better."

Eli nodded and kept quiet for several minutes while he pondered his next move. "I'm sure if Cyrus introduced you to him then he must be good for you. I trust Cyrus. I wouldn't spend all my time in D.C. if someone wasn't watching out for you."

"Good, he and James invited us to dinner tomorrow night. And you'll meet my boyfriend tomorrow. You'll love him. There's actually something I have to tell you about."

"Okay, I'm all ears."

"Well, about two months ago I was at work at the diner and three boys came in and robbed me. They also um…"

"They raped you. I know."

"What? How?"

"Cyrus told me. He figured you wouldn't so he told me himself. You should not have gone back to that place and you should have called the police as soon as they left. There are some things that you cannot handle yourself Olivia. I know that you are strong enough to handle many things alone but rape isn't something you can do."

Olivia heard him but she didn't want to hear it. "Cyrus had no right to tell you. And for the millionth time, I do not want to discuss what happened."


	14. Dinner

Saturday went by fast before Eli and Olivia went to Cyrus's for dinner. She walked into the house bringing the apple pie that James loved into the kitchen and helping with dinner. While Olivia helped James with dinner, Eli and Cyrus talked in the living room.

"Where's Fitz at?" she asked James.

"He called a few minutes ago, said he was running late but he'll be here soon. Stop worrying, Fitz and Eli will get along and everything will go fine. Just relax," he told her rubbing her shoulders.

"Can't we just get this night over with? I don't want to drag this out anymore. Cyrus opened his fat mouth to Dad about the rape."

"He was doing it for your own good. Eli needed to know."

"Whatever, I'm done discussing that. How's your life going?"

"Good, will you take care of Cyrus next weekend? I have to go out of town for an assignment for the paper. This could make my career if I do a great job on this."

"Sure, James. I'll make sure to walk him, feed him, all that stuff."

"I know he just needs a babysitter for a couple days."

Olivia brought the snack tray into the living room for her dad and Cyrus when the doorbell rang. She went to answer it knowing it was Fitz.

"Hey, ready to meet him?" she asked after a kiss.

"Yeah, better do it before I lose my nerve," he answered.

She took his hand and led him to the living room letting it go, "Dad this is Fitz, my…"

"Hey look who's here!" Cyrus yelled when the door opened again. They all turned to see who it was. "Mellie's here! Mellie you know Olivia. She is Fitz's Civics student."

"Olivia Pope, it's great to finally meet you! Fitz has told me so much about you it feels like I've known you forever," she said hugging Liv.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mellie. Just a quick question, who are you?"

Mellie's smile fell quickly. "Honey, I hear everything about Olivia but she doesn't know me? Olivia, I'm so sorry, I'm Fitz's wife. I'm sorry I'm a bit late Cyrus, I got out of work a bit later than I thought I would. Then this little guy decided we needed to go to the bathroom four times on the way here."

"No problem, Mellie. James and Olivia were just finishing dinner. Is that almost ready, Liv? I'm starving."

Olivia stared at Mellie taking her in. She was pretty and very much pregnant. From the looks, she was about seven months pregnant. "Yeah… I'll go check on that. Mrs. Grant, anything I can get you to drink?" she said through gritted teeth.

"Water would be great, and please call me Mellie," she smiled.

"Sure, I'll be right back," Olivia told her. She calmly walked out of sight of everyone and threw down the vase on the table in the hallway. "SORRY!" She continued to the kitchen breaking, hitting, slamming anything in her way down. "SORRY!"

"I'm going to go help her," Fitz told them.

"No, that's alright, Fitz. I'll get it," James countered. He eased out of the room and ran down the hall to the kitchen avoiding as much glass as he could. Just as he entered the kitchen she threw a wine glass against the wall opposite him. "Okay, we're going to stop throwing things. Liv, come here," James pulled her into a tight hug. "I know this sucks."

She cried hard into his shoulder. "Cyrus knew he was married, that's why he didn't want me with Fitz. I should have listened to him before. Why didn't he tell me himself?"

"I don't know, sweetie. Do you want me to cancel the dinner tonight?," James asked her.

"No, I'll be fine. Gladiators don't get to run and that's what I'd be doing."

"How are you going to handle this then?"

"I don't know, right now, I'm going to get a glass of water for her and take it to her. Then I'm going to clean up the mess I made in the hallway and help finish dinner. When dinner is over I am going to bed. I'll spend the night here so Dad can go home, I'm sure Dad would love to talk to Cyrus. After that, it will be over."

James kissed her forehead and let her take the glass to Mellie.

"Here you go, Mellie," she said handing her the water. "Dinner is almost ready, I'll come get all of you after the table is set."

"Let me help you set the table," Fitz said getting up. Olivia turned towards him and gave him the evilest look she could. "Or I'll stay here."

"Good. I'll see you in a few minutes."

Eli caught her wrist before she left the room. "You are being rather rude, Olivia. Let him help set the table."

"No, Dad. James and I have it handled. You four sit and chat."

She went back to the dining room setting the table and bringing the food out. When everything was ready she had James send everyone in.

Dinner went rather quietly among the six of them. No one had much to say, especially Fitz and Olivia. She started to clean up the plates and food before everyone was actually done but they all could tell that she was angry about something. Eli and Mellie were in the dark about anything going on.

When everything was cleaned up and she did the dishes she went to the living room where everyone was.

"I'm heading to bed. Dad I'll stay here tonight. Cyrus, James, thanks for dinner. Mellie it was lovely meeting you. Good night everyone," Olivia said before heading up the stairs.

"Dinner was great, Olivia. Thank you, I'm glad I finally got to meet you," Mellie smiled.

"Have a safe drive home," she helped Mellie get her coat on.

"I'll be home soon, I need to talk to Cyrus," Fitz told her.


	15. Yell

"Okay, sweetie, I think I'll get a shower and head to bed. Cyrus, thanks again for inviting me. Dinner was lovely, James," Mellie said with a smile plastered to her face.

He walked her out to the car and helped her in then went back inside finding Cyrus. "You invited her?"

"I thought I was being polite. You weren't going to bring her and she's very pregnant, she shouldn't be alone," Cyrus responded playing it cool.

"Bull shit, you did that for yourself! You wanted to hurt Olivia and you did."

"No, I would never want to hurt her. Olivia needed to know the whole truth about you. I just made that possible. You are the one who hurt her. You should probably go tend to your pregnant wife, Fitz, leave Olivia alone," Cyrus told him in a demand.

He ran up the stairs to find Olivia opening every door until he found her. He tried the last door and found it to be locked. Putting his ear against the door, he could hear her sobs. "Livie, let me explain please." Fitz waited for a response but didn't get one. "Olivia, I was trying to tell you about that. I wanted to tell you but there never seemed to be a proper moment to say anything."

Quietly, Cyrus and James went up the back stairs listening. Both of them knew she wouldn't want to speak to him but they wanted to hear an explanation of this. Eli had taken a phone call and stepped outside, unable to hear anything that was going on upstairs.

"Liv, I'm sorry. Mellie… she's… I don't know how to explain this. Mellie is…Mellie."

Olivia got off the bed rushing to the door, as she opened it he started to explain but no words came out. Instead she started to hit Fitz anywhere she could get. "She's your WIFE! You CHEATED on your WIFE with a STUDENT!" Each word she got out was accompanied by a hit to his body. He tried to grab her hands but she was too fast. "YOUR WIFE IS PREGNANT AND YOU'VE BEEN FUCKING ME! YOU ARE DISGUSTING AND SELFISH!" Olivia was able to get him to the ground kicking him in the jewels and hitting him hard.

James and Cyrus thought that now was the best time to intervene between them. Cyrus ran behind her catching her arms and forcing them behind her back moving her away from Fitz. "There's never a proper moment to tell the student whore you were sleeping with that you're married! I never want to hear from you again!" she yelled at him.

"Olivia, sweet baby, I'm so sorry. I should have told you at the beginning," Fitz groaned getting off the floor.

James stepped between Fitz and Olivia. "Fitz, go now. Now is not the time to discuss this. I need you to leave right now."

Cyrus dragged Olivia back into her room and closed the door behind him. He tossed her on the bed and stepped away so she couldn't make any kind physical contact with him.

"Olivia, calm down! I know you are pissed, sweetie. Just take a deep breath. I'm going to make sure he leaves," Cyrus said before stepping out of the room. "James, go take care of her, I'll handle him."

James nodded and turned to Fitz. "You should have told her everything before she fell in love with you," he said walking away.

When the door was closed to Olivia's bedroom Fitz walked in front of Cyrus, getting in his face. "I may have hurt her like this, but it's your fault too," Fitz gritted.

"But she'll forgive me. You, I'm not so sure she will. I told you to tell her the truth and break it off. Mellie already had her suspicions with you staying out late and talking about Olivia all the time. Lucky for you, Olivia played it cool tonight and didn't say a word about what has been going on between the two of you."

"Cyrus, I've love Olivia. She is very important to me and I want to be with her in any way that she will let me. What you did tonight, inviting Mellie over here for dinner, was a betrayal to both me and Olivia. You could have flat out told her that I was married and going to be a father soon. I was trying to tell Olivia all week about this but you had to take it into your own hands. You tell Olivia that I am not done with her and I never will be," Fitz said before walking down the stairs and slamming the door as he left.

James sat on the bed next to Olivia's head stroking the hair out of her face as she cried herself to sleep. "He's not worth your time, Liv. If he couldn't be honest with you from the beginning then he doesn't deserve to be with you," James whispered to her. Cyrus popped his head in to check on her, James nodded to him, letting him know that he had this. Cyrus nodded back and closed the door quietly.

"So she's been sleeping with him?" Eli asked Cyrus when he arrived in the kitchen.

"I figured you already knew that. You have surveillance on her all the time," Cyrus countered.

"I knew they were spending a lot of time together but I had no proof that they were sleeping together. That doesn't surprise me though. You know she has a thing for older men."

"Yes, but I warned her about this one. She didn't want to listen to me."

"When has my daughter ever listened to a word anyone else says?"

"Maya was the only person she listened to. Now she has to listen to the voice in her head."

"That voice is leading her down the wrong path. It's our job to bring her back to the right path."

"She's Olivia Pope, she's going to do what she wants."


	16. Leaving

Olivia woke up and laid in bed next to James thinking about her next move. She thought she wanted to talk to Fitz, but what was the point? He was married with a baby on the way and she was just some student he got in bed with. Liv considered her to be humiliated and knew what she had to do. Looking at the clock, she saw it was only three in the morning. Quietly as possible she got up and out of the bedroom leaving James to sleep.

She got his car keys and took his car back to her house. Eli was a light sleeper and she knew if she wasn't quiet she would wake him up. Olivia went up to her bedroom getting the suitcase out of her closet and started packing her clothes in it. She wanted to hurry but thought that might wake Eli. Gathering anything she needed and taking it down to her car she got ready to leave. Before she could get in the car, she wrote a letter setting it under James's car keys on the island in the kitchen. Before long she was on the highway setting off for Harvard.

Eli got up at his usual 7 am going down to start coffee. He saw the envelope under the keys with _James_ written on it. Not sure what to think, he got in his car and went off to Cyrus's.

"Olivia's here with you, right, Cyrus?" Eli asked when he opened the door.

"She's still asleep with James upstairs. Why the hurry?" Cyrus questioned.

"She left this for James at my place."

"I'll get James, coffee is started in the kitchen if you want any." Cyrus went up to her bedroom only to see James lying alone. "Wake up, where's Liv?"

"Probably in the shower or maybe for a run, I don't know Cyrus," James mumbled sleepily.

James got up and went to the kitchen with Cyrus. "Morning Eli, I'm sure Liv went for a swim or something. I don't know. I'm sure that she is just going through all of this in her head."

"She left you this, James," Eli said handing him the envelope. James read through it then set it down. "So, what did my daughter tell you?"

"Olivia left. It doesn't seem that she's coming back either. The way that she wrote this, seems very final," James informed them.

Both Eli and Cyrus stared at James unable to capture what he just said. "She just left, not said goodbye to anyone," Cyrus questioned.

"Cy, I'm not for sure. It doesn't say that she isn't coming back, but it doesn't say she is either. I can't say one way or the other about her. Olivia needs time to process what happened," James said before the doorbell rang. He went to answer it.

Fitz stood on the other side begging to anyone in the world that would listen for her to talk to him today.

"Hey, James, is Liv up yet?" he asked casually.

"You should probably come into the kitchen for this," James told him. Fitz followed him back to the kitchen and was met with Eli yelling at Cyrus until he saw Fitz.

"And you! This is your entire fault! You made her love you and now she doesn't know what to do," Eli yelled at him.

"Sir, I'm sorry about all of this. I can talk to Olivia and make everything better, I promise," Fitz begged.

Cyrus put his coffee down and shook his head no. "Olivia's gone."

"What?" Fitz asked not sure he heard correctly.

"Here," He was handed him the letter Olivia wrote to James.

_James,_

_ First, thank you for being the best kind of father I have had. Cyrus is great but he's a bit pushy. Eli… well, he's Eli. He's not around much so I don't really know him anymore. You let me be me and always encourage me to be who I want to be and do what I want to do. So secondly, I have to tell you I'm leaving. Cyrus is going to say that I'm running and that 'gladiators don't get to run' but I don't really think I am running. If I am, I'm running towards something, not away. I should have listened to Cy in the first place when he said not to get involved with Fitz, I guess I mean Mr. Grant. I was just some student that he got into bed with. I'm sure he and his friends got a big kick out of that. I truly thought I did love him. He was great to me, very sweet and affectionate. I can only hope at least one part of him that he showed me wasn't fake. I can't listen to my heart anymore because it's wrong. It told me to go for it with him but it only led to heartbreak. So from now on I have to trust my gut. Now, my gut tells me it's time to go. I finished my job there. I went to high school, graduated (early), went to college, had a job, I did everything I was supposed to do. Sleeping with a teacher wasn't in the plan, but how many people actually plan on sleeping with their teacher? I didn't plan to fall for him, it just happened. I know I can tell you this and not feel the judgment. Cyrus wouldn't understand. He's in love with you, he just can't show it very well. Cyrus is amazing and can give you what you want. I know he can. Take care of him for me, you and him are the only ones I can trust anymore. I'm getting off topic now. I'm leaving for Harvard early. I thought I might beat the rush of summer jobs and start sooner. I'd tell you in person that I'm leaving but I hate goodbyes. I'll miss you and Cyrus so much but we knew this was coming eventually. I'll let you know when I get everything settled in and maybe you can come visit me. Tell Cyrus that I'm not mad at him for the way he handled things between me and Fit… Mr. Grant. And if Fitz… Mr. Grant, comes around to you, tell him that I hope he stays happy, I may be hurt but I can't take that out on him. It was my own stupidity that led to this. I want him to enjoy his life with his wife and their son. I never wanted to ruin anything for him or for anyone. Tell my dad that his surveillance team isn't very good at staying hidden for long. I'm sure he'll find me soon but it's okay because I'm not hiding. I'm not hiding or running. I'm trying to be the Gladiator Cy taught me to be. I've faced the problem head on and I've considered the consequence. I can't be happy. I guess I'm not meant to be happy. The people I love most seem to abandon me. Mom, Dad, Fitz. Sometimes it seems that Cyrus abandons me, but he comes back. I can always count on you though. I love you, James. Give me a head start before they send the search party out?_

_ Love your daughter, _

_ Livie_

"So that's it? She's gone?" Fitz screamed throwing the letter on the counter.

Everyone looked at James ready for the hardest thing to hear. "She's gone."


End file.
